Shoe platform with fastening system for interchangeable uppers

ABSTRACT

Shoe systems including a sole with a plurality of fasteners disposed about the sole perimeter, the fasteners capable of securing a variety of uppers using only appropriately placed holes in each upper. In some examples, the sole includes sleeves that receive and secure corresponding pins, with the sleeves secured between two layers that create cavities for each sleeve. In other examples, the sleeves are secured within a single molded layer. In some further examples, the sole includes hooks for securing an upper. In still further examples, the sole includes a flange for hiding the fastening mechanism.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/US1614613 filed on Jan. 22, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Application, Ser. No. 62/106,522, filed on Jan. 22, 2015, both applications being hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is directed to footwear with interchangeable tops. The top covers can be of different design, styles, materials, as well as color. This allows the wearer to select from or make a wide array of top covers to match to his/her outfit. In particular, this interchangeable top cover, or “upper”, with sole has a locking mechanism that allows for easy switching of the shoe uppers and secure fastening of the shoe uppers to the base, or “sole”.

The present disclosure is directed to footwear with interchangeable tops. The top covers can be of different design, styles, materials, as well as color. This allows the wearer to select from or make a wide array of top covers to match to his/her outfit. In particular, this interchangeable top cover, or “upper”, with sole has a locking mechanism that allows for easy switching of the shoe uppers and secure fastening of the shoe uppers to the base, or “sole”.

Some prior art bearing some relation to the present invention include the following representative references: U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,903 to Barteet, U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,351 to Watters, US 20030233772 to Musial, and US 20110283564 to Stillwagon.

Barteet discloses an interchangeable shoe upper (U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,903). Barteet's design has a limited number, more precisely only four fasteners for each shoe. While a user can change the shoe upper to change the color or pattern of the upper shoe upper and keep or remove the strap, Barteet's design is only used with limited styles of sandal or shoe upper. Further, Barteet's fastener is a snap-receiving fastener where snap-receiving fastener members are attached to the lower surface of the upper member. The upper member can then be attached to the sole and provides a useable shoe. While this configuration of fastener allows a user to easily interchange the shoe upper, but over time, a snap fastening system will loosen and will not securely attach the shoe upper to the sole. This can easily cause the wearer to injure her foot or ankle if the fastener gives way. In addition, the uppers must have snap-receiving fastener members that correspond to the fastening members on the sole, which makes it proprietary in nature.

Watter discusses a system for altering the appearance of a pair of shoes. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,351) Watter's design uses the same shoe upper surface and incorporates skins having different designs and a magnetic locking system to change the appearance of the overall shoe. Watter's shoe design includes a plurality of first-half magnets on the base shoe cover and a corresponding plurality of second-half magnets disposed on the interchangeable skins. The first-half magnets are adapted to engage the second-half magnets to help hold the skin in place on the base shoe cover. The cooperating pairs of first and second-half magnets are arranged appropriately such that when the skin is placed over the base shoe cover in the correct position the cooperating first-half and second-half magnets align with each other. While, this design may alter the color and pattern of the shoe cover, this system cannot change the overall style of the shoe because the base shoe cover cannot be easily swapped out.

Musial discloses another interchangeable shoe upper. (US 20030233772) Musial's describes a fastening system located at the front of the shoe that uses hooks and holes/eyelets. This suffers from the disadvantage that it does not maintain the foot securely with the shoe. While Musial mentions other types of fastening systems that can be used such as snaps, laces, hook and pile strips, or zippers, there may be shortcomings with each of these types of fastening systems when used with a shoe with an interchangeable upper. The drawback of repeated use of a snap type fastener has already been mentioned above. A lacing type fastener is advantageous for ease of tightening but can be bulky and have an unpolished appearance. A hook and pile type fastening system also does not afford enough durability when used in a shoe design where there is limited space for an adequate pile strip to receive the corresponding hook strip. Finally, a zipper fastening system has a similar drawback as a lacing system of being bulky and depending on the location of the zipper system, may be difficult to fasten. In addition, the uppers must have receiving fastener members that correspond to the fastening members on the sole, which makes it proprietary in nature.

Stillwagon also discloses an interchangeable shoe upper. (US 20110283564) Similar to other interchangeable shoe upper designs, the invention here discloses only a shoe upper that covers the front of the foot, which limits the number of possible designs and styles that can be created. The fastening system described here is a button type fastener. Unlike a buttoning system on clothing that normally does not come under stress, a buttoning system for a shoe will gradually loosen as the material becomes stretched with use making walking less secure. Once again, the uppers must have receiving fastener members that correspond to the fastening members on the sole, which makes it proprietary in nature.

Thus, with regards to interchangeable shoe upper, there exists a need for a fastening system that can securely hold the shoe upper and can easily be secured and released. The interchangeable shoe system of this present invention uses a fastening mechanism that improves upon mechanisms for interchangeable shoe covering that are already known, and provides for a non-proprietary upper, where the upper simply has holes where the fastener connects to the sole. This present fastening system maintains the shoe upper securely against the sole and allows a user to easily couple and release the shoe upper when user wishes to swap out the shoe upper. Finally, this present system allows for much larger number of style options, since the fasteners are around the entire perimeter of the sole, limited only by the imagination and creativity of the user.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a shoe system that is comprised of a sole with a plurality of fasteners disposed about the sole perimeter, the fasteners capable of securing a variety of uppers using only appropriately placed holes in each upper. In some examples, the sole includes sleeves that receive and secure corresponding pins, with the sleeves secured between two layers that create cavities for each sleeve. In other examples, the sleeves are secured within a single molded layer. In some further examples, the sole includes hooks for securing an upper. In still further examples, the sole includes a flange for hiding the fastening mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side elevation exploded view of a first example of a shoe sole that supports interchangeable uppers.

FIG. 1B is a side perspective exploded view of the first example shoe sole depicted in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of an example upper that can be attached to the shoe sole depicted in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a first example connector sleeve that can be used with the disclosed shoe soles to attach interchangeable uppers.

FIG. 2B is a side cutaway view of the first example connector sleeve depicted in FIG. 2A showing a pin for securing an upper inserted and secured.

FIG. 2C is a side cutaway view of the first example connector sleeve depicted in FIG. 2A showing the pin inserted, but in a disengaged position for removal.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an assembly for providing the disclosed shoe soles with a removable toe loop.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the toe loop assembly depicted in FIG. 3A relative to its insertion point in a shoe sole.

FIG. 4 is a front cutaway view of a shoe sole showing the toe loop assembly depicted in FIG. 3A in its inserted position.

FIG. 5A is a lower side perspective exploded view of a second example of a shoe sole supporting interchangeable uppers including a different configuration of the various layers.

FIG. 5B is an upper side perspective exploded view of the second example shoe sole depicted in FIG. 5A showing the configuration of the lower sole layer.

FIG. 5C is a perspective view showing the second example shoe sole depicted in FIG. 5A as assembled.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing a third example of a shoe sole supporting interchangeable uppers showing another possible configuration of the layers for securing connectors.

FIG. 6B is a side perspective exploded view of the third example shoe sole depicted in FIG. 6A showing the configuration of the component layers.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective exploded view of a fourth example of a shoe sole supporting interchangeable uppers showing a different style of connectors.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a second example connector sleeve that can be used with the disclosed shoe soles to attach interchangeable uppers.

FIG. 8B is a side cutaway view of the second example connector sleeve depicted in FIG. 8A showing a pin for securing an upper inserted and secured.

FIG. 8C is a side cutaway view of the second example connector sleeve depicted in FIG. 8A showing the pin inserted, but in a disengaged position for removal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed shoe systems will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.

Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various shoe systems are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.

The present invention contemplates a system for providing an interchangeable shoe system. Although discussed in relation to a shoe, the present invention readily adapts for use with boots, sandals, and other footwear items. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the similarities of the present invention regardless if used in conjunction with shoes, boots, sandals, or other footwear items. For ease, the present invention will be discussed in relation to a shoe, but this should not be construed to overly limit the scope and spirit of the present invention.

The shoe system is directed towards a simple-to-use and sturdy fastening system that can easily attach and release a wide variety of shoe uppers to the sole. Here, for simplicity sake, “shoe upper” can also be construed to define shoe top, shoe vamp, and top cover, but this should not be construed to overly limit the scope and spirit of the present invention. This allows a user to quickly and easily change the appearance of the shoe overall by selecting and swapping out a large variety of interchangeable shoe uppers with a single sole. The upper design shown in FIG. 1C is only one example of the possible designs that the shoe can have using the present fastening system.

The shoe system disclosed within this application has the benefit that the fastening system is not incorporated into the shoe upper as that in the Barteet and Watter disclosures. The current shoe system allows the shoe uppers to be “open source” meaning that anyone can design a shoe upper to be used personally or shared, with the upper simply having holes where the fastener connects to the sole. There would be no proprietary claim on the shoe uppers designed to be used in conjunction with the shoe sole.

The shoe system allows the wearer to have a diverse array of looks to match with different outfits while only having to purchase one pair of shoe soles. The shoe system provides more design options than what is currently available. The shoe system allows a wearer to easily change the shoe uppers without need for specialized tools for interchanging the shoe uppers. While FIG. 1C shows only a sandal type upper, one could conceivably use the fastening system with other types of shoes. Finally, the location of the fastening system can also be varied to allow for even more potential shoe designs that may be available.

Turning to FIGS. 1A-4, a first embodiment of a shoe system, shoe system 100, includes a shoe upper 101, and a sole 102. Additional features of shoe system 100 also include a toe-end receiving aperture 180 contained in sole 102, and a between-the-toe connector 190. In other embodiments, the shoe system will include only a midsole and sole, each with cavities along the perimeter to receive the fastening devices. In yet another embodiment, the shoe system will include a fastening system utilizing a hooking mechanism embedded into the midsole and sole.

Shoe Upper

The present invention provides for different shoe upper 101 designs that can couple to the sole though a quick and easy fastening mechanism. The shoe uppers not only have varying designs and styles but may also have different colors as well as being made from different materials that are suitable for shoes such as leathers, other natural fabrics, and any suitable synthetic materials. The fastening system also allows for varying thicknesses of the upper material. It is also the goal of this invention that the user design and create their own shoe upper with different appearances to couple to sole 102, using templates provided or to design their own unique shoe upper design and providing an open source for shoe upper designs that can be shared with the public. Depending on the style of the shoe upper, not all of the fastening points that are spaced along the entire perimeter of the shoe sole will be in use. The fastening points are designed such that they not only have a functional use but add a decorative touch to the overall shoe.

Shoe upper 101 includes one or more apertures 103 along its periphery as shown in FIG. 1C. Shoe upper 101 attaches to sole 102 through apertures 103 to the fastening system. Depending on the style of the shoe, there may be only a few apertures 103 associated with a corresponding shoe upper 101 or many apertures 103. Apertures 103 are preferably simple holes that are created in the shoe upper 101, and spaced so as to correspond with the fastening system on sole 102. While the apertures 103 may be optionally reinforced to enhance durability, it is intended that the fastening system can secure shoe upper 101 to sole 102 by only passing through apertures 103, without requiring shoe upper 101 to be equipped with any specific corresponding hardware to interface with the fastening system.

Sole: Overview

With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, sole 102 includes an insole 110, a fastener top casing 120, a fastener bottom casing 122, a plurality of fastener sleeves 150, a plurality of fastening pins 170 (shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C), a shank 112, and a sole 130. Insole 110, shank 112 and sole 130 rely on standard structures and materials known in the art, and provide support and cushion for the overall shoe. Insole 110, fastener top casing 120, fastener bottom casing 122, shank 112, and sole 130 of sole 102 can be coupled together in a variety of ways that are included but not limited to adhesive means, stitching means, and hook and pile means. Finally, while the sole has been shown in a wedge-style design, the present invention is not limited to wedge-shaped sole, and other embodiments of the sole can be any design that is able to combine with the inventive fastening system to produce an end product.

While at least the fastener top casing 120, fastener bottom casing, and sole 130 are preferably constructed from a durable rubber or similar synthetic material such as viscoelastic polyurethane, a person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the various components of sole 102 can be constructed from any material now known or later developed that is suitable for the construction of shoes, such as wood, metal, plastic, rubber, leather, composites, or a combination of these materials.

Sole: How the Fastening System is Encased in the Sole

Fastener top casing 120 and fastener bottom casing 122 are in the overall shape of insole 110. On the bottom surface of fastener top casing 120 includes an array of indentations 124 evenly spaced along its periphery. On the top surface of fastener bottom casing 122 are another array of indentations or recesses 126 that correspond to indentations 124. Indentations 124 and recesses 126 are shaped such that when fastener top casing 120 and fastener bottom casing 122 are stacked and permanently coupled, they form an interior space that is able to accept fastener sleeves 150 into these cavities.

The aforementioned preferred rubber-like material of the sole provides a functional aspect to the fastening system. When the interior space is closely sized to the dimensions of the fastening system, the rubber-like material maintains pressure on fastener sleeve 150 such that teeth array 175 of fastening pin 170 remains engaged with slot arrays 162 of fastener sleeve 150. When releasing fastening pin 170, pin head 173 is pushed down, pressing the bottom portion of fastener sleeve 150 into the rubber-like material adjacent to fastener sleeve 150 allowing teeth array 175 to be freed from the corresponding indentations of slot array 162.

In the present embodiment, the top end of sole 102 will include a fastening mechanism within each interior space along its circumference, though not every fastening mechanism will be utilized with any particular shoe upper 101. Finally, it should be noted that all the elements included within the sole of the shoe are permanently bonded such that the only thing that a user could remove are the fastening pins.

Further, sole 102 can be implemented with fastener top casing 120 and fastener bottom casing 122 molded as a single unitary fastener casing, as opposed to two separate parts. In such an implementation, fastener sleeves 150 are preferably placed in predetermined positions in a mold, and the fastener casing is molded around the sleeves 150, thereby permanently encasing them, rather than gluing a top casing 120 and bottom casting 122 together. In further such implementations, shank 112 could also be eliminated, with sole 102 being merged with the unitary fastener casing, resulting in a single one-piece sole with fastener sleeves 150 being molded in place.

Finally, although the preferred fastening mechanism depicted herein is a sleeve and pin, or alternatively, a hook, a person skilled in the relevant art should understand that any fastening mechanism that allows an upper 101 to be secured to the shoe sole 102 without the need for any corresponding hardware in upper 101, apart from a hole for each attachment point, may be utilized. Such mechanisms may include pins, hooks, buttons, snaps, or any other mechanism for secure attachment of material through a hole that resists laterally applied forces as may be experienced by a shoe upper in use.

Fastener Sleeve

Turning to FIGS. 2A to 2C, one possible fastening system of shoe system 100, which includes fastener sleeves 150 and fastening pin 170, is depicted. Fastener sleeves 150 are held with each of the interior cavities created by fastener top casing 120 and fastener bottom casing 122 and are permanently embedded in the shoe sole. Fastener sleeve 150 is preferably sized so that sole 102 can snugly accommodate fastener sleeves 150 within the internal spaces created by fastener top casing 120 and fastener bottom casing 122 and around the periphery of sole 102. Variations on fastener sleeve 150 dimensions are permissible so long as the fastening system is capable of being placed and securely held within sole 102. In the first fastener embodiment, fastener sleeve 150 includes a first horizontally-extending member and a second, downward-extending member cooperating to form a 90 degree, L-shaped body having a long end 151 running horizontally, left to right on the page as shown in FIG. 2A. Also, in use, long end 151 will be embedded in a mostly horizontal orientation within sole 102. A second, short end 152 is shorter than long end 151 and runs generally in a perpendicular orientation with respect to first long end 151.

Long end 151 is substantially a hollow, rectilinear box that includes a generally rectilinear top side 153, a correspondingly rectilinear bottom side 154 disposed opposite to the top side. Top side 153 and bottom side 154 are coupled by a rear side 155 extending generally perpendicular to both top side 153 and bottom side 154. A front side 157 of this box is actually the front end of short end 152. Rear side 155, is best viewed in FIG. 3H, for example. Rear side 155 connects top side 153 to bottom side 154.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2A to 2C, an array of slots 162, comprising a plurality of individual slots arranged generally parallel to each other and running perpendicular to the long axis of the top side, is disposed on top side 153 proximate to the intersection of top side 153 and front side 157. Array of slots 162 face into interior space 156 and will aid to couple fastener sleeve 150 to fastening pin 170. The un-attached end of bottom side 154 may include a bend or may be straight. The sidewalls of fastener 150 are defined when fastener 150 is placed in the cavity created when fastener top casing 120 is coupled to fastener bottom casing 122 and aid to define an interior space 156. Interior space 156 has a greater dimension in the front compared to its dimensions towards rear side 155. The greater dimension in the front allows the pin body of fastening pin 170 to be pressed downward and released from fastener sleeve 150. The interior dimensions of fastener sleeve 150, defined by top side 153 and bottom side 154 is large enough to accommodate the pin body of fastening pin 170. In this embodiment, the free end of bottom side 154 possesses the ability to move slightly in an upward and downward motion; this degree of freedom allows fastening pin 170 to be released from fastener sleeve 150. Bottom side 154 is narrower towards rear side 155.

Front side 157 includes an aperture 159. In this embodiment, the free end of front side 157 ends in a hook shaped configuration 158, but in other embodiments, the free end of the front side of the fastener sleeve may include a lip. Aperture 159 has a cross-sectional dimension large enough to accommodate the pin body of fastening pin 170. Further, bottom end of front side 157 is shaped in such a way that it overlaps but does not touch bottom side 154. The distance between the unconnected end of bottom side 154 and the bottom edge of front side 157 corresponds to the amount of allowable upward and downward motion available for bottom side 154 to move.

In other embodiments the fastener sleeve may possess cross-sectional dimensions that are not rectangular, and may be of any shape as long as the interior of the fastener sleeve still contains a means for coupling to and releasing the fastening pin.

Fastening Pin

Fastening pin 170 includes a first end 171 and a second end 172. Disposed on first end 171 is pin head 173. Fastening pin 170 further includes pin body 174. Pin body 174 is configured between pin head 173 and second end 172. In the preferred embodiment, pin body 174 has a largely the same rectangular or round cross-sectional dimension throughout the length of pin body 174 and is able to fit into fastener sleeve 150. Further disposed on the wider of the rectangular surfaces of pin body 174, are corresponding array of teeth 175. Array of teeth 175 in this embodiment are located in the middle of pin body 174. In other embodiments, the arrays of teeth may be on more than one surface of the pin body or covering the entire circumference of the pin body, and may be located on any segment along the pin body. Fastening pin 170 is preferably made from a sturdy material such as plastics or metals or metal alloys. In other embodiments, the fastener sleeve and the fastening pin have cross sectional dimensions that are not rectangular but of any other shape that still allows the fastening pin to fit into and engage with the fastener sleeve and be manufactured from other types of sturdy materials.

In use, either set of teeth array 175 couples to slot array 162 when fastening pin 170 is inserted completely into fastener sleeve 150. Without any external force, bottom side 154 pushes teeth array 175 of fastening pin 170 against the corresponding slot array 162 of fastener sleeve 150. This secures fastening pin 170 within fastener sleeve 150. To release fastening pin 170 from fastener sleeve 150, a user would push pin head 173 of fastening pin 170 to free teeth array 175 from slot array 162 and pull upon pin head 173 to free fastening pin 170 from fastener sleeve 150. This is possible due to the small range of motion of bottom side 154 of fastener sleeve 150.

Fastening pin 170, in conjunction with fastener sleeve 150, comprise means for fastening shoe upper 101 to sole 102. When fastening pin 170 is fully inserted into fastener sleeve 150, there remains a gap 176 between pin head 173 and the outer edges of aperture 159. Gap 176 allows for some flexibility in the thickness of the shoe upper 101 that can be held in place by the fastening system. It will be understood by a person skilled in the relevant art that the thickness of the shoe upper 101 that can be accommodated will depend at least partially on the overall length of fastening pin 170, with longer pins having a greater exposed portion of pin body 174 outside of fastener sleeve 150, thereby accommodating thicker shoe uppers 101. It will also be appreciated that as the length of the exposed pin body 174 increases, it may be necessary to alter the material used to construct fastening pin 170 so as to maintain sufficient rigidity and avoid bending of fastening pin 170 in use. Alternatively, the overall size of fastening pin 170 and corresponding fastener sleeve 150 may be increased to enable longer fastening pins 170 to be used. The fastening system is thereby configured to accept shoe uppers with variable thicknesses.

In some embodiments of the fastener sleeve and the fastening pin, protrusions on corresponding surfaces of the fastener sleeve and the fastening pin may be mated to secure the shoe upper to the sole. In other embodiments, the arrays of teeth or other protruding members may be located elsewhere within the fastener sleeve as long as they correspond to the coupling portion of the fastening pin, allowing the coupling of the fastener sleeve to the fastening pin.

Finally, pin head 173 of fastening pin 170 can be of various designs, color, materials or styles. Thus, not only does the pin head have a functional role but also adds to the overall decorative and stylistic aspects of the shoe sole. A user can have fastening pins with differently designed pin heads that complement the overall look of the shoe. A user may decide to leave open or fill in fastener sleeves with fastening pins that are not in use depending on the preferred look.

Conversion for Shoe Styles Requiring Between-the-Toe Connection

Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4, shoe system 100 can include an additional mechanism that allows a user to convert sole 102 into a shoe that accommodates a between-the-toe connection, including but not limited to a flip-flop style sandal, using a toe end loop created with a between-the-toe connector 190. Using suitable designs of shoe upper 101 with between-the-toe connector 190 will allow users to turn the shoe into a sandal with a between-the-toe connection. When the fastening system uses sole 102 with between-the-toe connector 190, shoe upper 101 couples with sole 102 on the left and right side but also has an additional connection point with between-the-toe connector 190. Between-the-toe connector 190 further increases the possible designs and appearance available when using shoe upper 101 with sole 100. Finally, it is also conceivable to have between-the-toe connectors of different color, different thickness straps, and different materials to compliment the overall look of the shoe.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, between-the-toe connector 190 includes two plates 192 that are coupled together with a strap 196. Plates 192 each include an aperture 194, to which strap 196 loops and connects. As shown, plates 192 are largely rectangular in shape. However, the plates could be designed in any other shape as long as the corresponding toe-end aperture is able to receive and hold the two plates in place.

In FIGS. 3B and 4, to couple between-the-toe connector 190 to sole 102, between-the-toe connector 190 must be inserted and secured in toe end aperture 180. Toe end aperture 180 includes an aperture narrow portion 181 and an aperture wider portion 182. Aperture narrow portion 181 runs perpendicular to sole 102 is able to receive plates 192 via the narrow side of each plate 192. Aperture wider portion 182 is perpendicular to aperture narrow portion 181 and its major axis is parallel to sole 102. Aperture wider portion 182 possesses a wider and horizontal orientation and is able to accept plates 192 such that its major axis is in a horizontal configuration. Once user pushes one of the plates 192 through aperture narrow portion 181 to aperture wider portion 182, the first plate 192 will be situated in such a way that the long side of plates 192 is situated parallel to sole 102. Once in place, the second plate 192 of the between-the-toe connector 190 is able to be threaded through a loop 197 on an appropriate shoe upper to create flip-slop style sandal. A user would then thread the second plate 192 through aperture narrow portion 181 to aperture wider portion 182 and rotate the second plate 192 so both plates 192 are contained within aperture wider portion 182, to secure plates 192 to sole 102. To release between-the-toe connector 190 from sole 102, a user simply reverses the motions, turning plates 192, one at a time, with strap 196 until the long side of plates 192 are aligned with aperture narrow portion 181 and pulling plates 192 through aperture narrow portion 181.

Second and Third Embodiment

Turning to FIGS. 5A through 5C, a second embodiment of the shoe system, a shoe system 200 will now be described. Shoe system 200 shares many similarities and identical features with the previously disclosed in shoe system 100. Thus, for the sake of brevity, each feature of shoe system 200 will not be described redundantly in great detail and only to the extent required to provide a complete disclosure for shoe system 200.

Shoe system 200 differs from shoe system 100 in the structure of its sole, a shoe sole 202. Shoe sole 202 includes top fastener cover 220 and a sole 230. Sole 230 further includes a recessed foot bed 203 and a border 204. Top fastener cover 220 can incorporate a midsole and/or shank. Top fastener cover 220 is able to seat within the boundaries of border 204 and couple with recessed foot bed 203. Foot bed 203 includes a series of indentations or cavities 226 along its periphery. Top fastener cover 220 may include a corresponding series of indentations 224 along its periphery. When top fastener cover 220 is mated with sole 230, indentations 224 and cavities 226 form the interior space that is able to accommodate fastener sleeves 250.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, a third embodiment, shoe system 300, is further depicted. Shoe system 300 also differs from shoe system 100 in the structure of its sole, a shoe sole 302. Shoe sole 302 includes a fastener cover 320 and a sole 330. The bottom side of fastener cover 320 includes a series of indentations 324 spaced along its periphery. The top side of sole 330 includes corresponding indentations or recesses 326 also spaced along its periphery. When fastener cover 320 is mated with sole 330, cavities are created along the perimeter and proximate the top side of shoe sole 302. These cavities create the space into which the fastener sleeves may be inserted. Fastener sleeves or other similar fastening mechanisms such as snaps or hooks are preferably inserted prior to assembly of the fastener cover 320 upon sole 330.

In both the above-described second and third embodiments, it should be appreciated by a person skilled in the relevant art that, as with the first embodiment, the soles can be alternatively constructed as unified molded single pieces, with the soles being molded around fasteners, as opposed to the assembled sandwich approach detailed above.

Fourth Embodiment

Turning to FIG. 7, a fourth embodiment of the shoe system, a shoe system 400, will now be described. Shoe system 400 utilizes a different fastening system compared to what has been described for the first three embodiments described. Shoe system 400 can utilize the same or similar shoe uppers as that in the first three embodiments of the shoe system. Shoe system 400 includes a sole 402. Shoe sole 402 further includes a sole 430 and a midsole 410.

Sole 430 includes a top end 431 and a bottom end 432. Situated at top end 431 is a border 433 and a recessed region 434. Border 433 runs along the entire perimeter of sole 430. On the interior face of border 433 are a series of spaced impressions 426. Border 433 defines an open interior space that is able to accept midsole 410. Recessed region 434 is in the shape of midsole 410 and midsole 410 fits within the open interior space defined by border 433, and is permanently adhered to sole 430.

Midsole 410 includes a series of hooks 424 spaced evenly along its periphery. Hook 424 includes an open end 428. A portion of hook 424 is permanently embedded within midsole 410 and secures hook 424 to midsole 410. When hook 424 is coupled to midsole 410, and border 433 is folded down, only open end 428 is exposed. Open end 428 of hook 424 forms the hook. Open end 428 is able to couple to openings on the shoe upper of choice. A user can select from any of hooks 424 to attach a shoe upper 101. Once a shoe upper 101 is secured to midsole 410, a user can fold up border 433 to entirely cover hooks 428. Each hook 424 couples to corresponding impressions 426 and helps secure midsole 410 to sole 430.

As with the previous embodiments, sole 430 can be manufactured from any material or combination of materials that is commonly known and suitable for use in the construction of shoes, but preferably at least the portions of border 433 and recessed region 434 are manufactured from a type of rubber or viscoelastic polyurethane. Because of the rubber-like qualities of at least these portions of sole 430, once midsole 410 is seated with the recessed region 434, midsole 410 remains securely coupled to sole 430. Furthermore, when midsole 410 is permanently mated to sole 430, the fastening mechanism in hidden from view. This provides the appearance of a normal sole couple to a shoe upper where the connection points are concealed. Border 433 material may be the same or different from sole 430. The flexibility in border 433 allows a user to uncouple the upper 401 by flexing back border 433 and releasing hooks 424 from impression 426, then removing the upper 101.

Alternatively, instead of impressions 426, each impression 426 may be carried through border 433 to form holes to allow access to hooks 424 without the need for manipulation of border 433, and the direct attachment of an upper 101. In such an implementation, the exposed portions of hooks 424 can be finished in a decorative fashion, such as in an array of possible colors.

Still further, midsole 410 may be molded as part of lower sole 430, thereby eliminating a border 433 and recessed region 434; in such an implementation, the entire sole is comprised of a single molded piece. Each hook 424 can either be designed to be securely but removably inserted into sole 430 after molding, or sole 430 can be molded around a plurality of hooks 424 that are initially secured into the mold for creating sole 430, thereby securing hooks 424 at the time of manufacture.

Alternative Fastener Arrangement

Turning now to FIGS. 8A through 8C, an alternative and preferable construction of the fastening system is disclosed. The fastening system is comprised of a sleeve 500 and a corresponding pin 550, which is removably secured into sleeve 500.

Sleeve 500 is preferably comprised of a front face 502, an opposing back face 508, and top surface 516 and bottom surface 512 that span between front face 502 and back face 508 so as to comprise a substantially box-shaped configuration. Front face 502 further includes an aperture with a lower aperture portion 504 and an upper aperture portion 506. Back face 508 has a corresponding single opposing aperture 510. Protruding from bottom surface 512 is a ramp 514, and bisecting front face 502 and extending into a portion of both top surface 516 and bottom surface 512 is a slot 518.

Pin 550 includes a head 552, from which protrudes a smaller diameter shaft 554. Into a portion of shaft 554 are machined a series of one or more ridges 556. The diameter of shaft 554 between ridges 556 is smaller than the diameter on ridges 556. Both sleeve 500 and pin 550 are preferably comprised of metal, but may be manufactured from other materials such as plastic or composites, or any other material suitable for manufacturing a durable fastening system that can accommodate the forces imposed by shoe use. At least the head 552 of pin 550 can be decorated in similar fashion to the head 173 of pin 170 as described above.

The shaft 554 of pin 550 is inserted into lower aperture portion 504, and slid through sleeve 500 until it protrudes through opposing aperture 510. Ramp 514 acts to guide shaft 554 to opposing aperture 510 so that it does not get stuck or bound within sleeve 500. Lower aperture portion 504 and opposing aperture 510 are sized to easily accommodate shaft 554. Pin 550 is then secured by applying lateral force to the pin in the direction of top surface 516, causing pin 550 to slip into upper aperture portion 506. It can be observed in the drawings that upper aperture portion 506 is sized smaller than lower aperture portion 504, and as a result two protrusions 505 are created which are spaced smaller than the diameter of pin shaft 554. Slot 518 creates flexibility in the two halves of front face 502, which allow protrusions 505 to widen temporarily to accommodate the passage of shaft 554, and close back down following passage. Shaft 554 is thereby prevented from accidentally slipping from upper aperture portion 506 down to lower aperture portion 504, which could allow pin 550 to inadvertently slip out from sleeve 500 and be lost.

Further, upper aperture portion 506 is preferably sized smaller than the diameter of shaft 554 at each ridge 556, but approximately the diameter of shaft 554 between ridges 556. Thus, when pin shaft 554 is in position 558 within upper aperture portion 506, at least one of ridges 556 engages around the edge of upper aperture portion 506 and is thereby held in place, with longitudinal movement of pin 550 hindered.

FIG. 8C shows position 560 where pin shaft 554 is located in lower aperture portion 506, which is the position that allows insertion or removal of pin 550.

Finally, depending on the construction of sleeve 500 and pin 550, ridges 556 may not be necessary. A suitably sized aperture and configured aperture on front face 502 may be capable of retaining a pin 550 with a smooth shaft 554. Still further, it may be possible to integrate the functionality of sleeve 500 into its surrounding fastener casing, or implement sleeve 500 out of a rubber-like material, which is capable of retaining pin 550 merely by friction.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The inventions described in this application may be made by a variety of industrial processes, including by various mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic assembly techniques. Further, the inventions described herein may be used in industrial contexts, including textile and clothing manufacture endeavors.

The inventions described above may be alternatively described according to the following non-limiting embodiments:

In a first embodiment for a shoe sole, the shoe sole may include a fastener top casing, a fastener bottom casing, and a fastening mechanism for removably securing any shoe upper that is fitted with appropriately corresponding holes. The fastener bottom casing may be integral with a lower portion of the shoe sole, or may be separately attached to the lower shoe sole portion.

In some examples of the first embodiment for a shoe sole, the fastener includes a sleeve that is secured between the fastener top casing and fastener bottom casing, and a corresponding pin that is secured by the sleeve. In other examples the fastener may be comprised of a hook, or snap, or other mechanism for securing an upper without needing corresponding hardware installed upon the upper beyond an appropriately placed hole.

Further embodiments may include a flange on the lower shoe sole portion that is integral with the fastener bottom casing, so as to form a recess. The fastener top casing is sized to fit within the recess, thereby allowing the flange to potentially hide the fasteners.

Still further embodiments may have the fastener upper casing and fastener bottom casings integrated as a single piece, with fasteners secured during the molding process of the sole.

The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein. 

1. A shoe sole supporting an interchangeable upper, comprising: a sole; and a plurality of fastening elements disposed around the perimeter of the sole; wherein the sole further comprises: a fastener top casing, and a fastener bottom casing, wherein each of the top casing and bottom casing retain the plurality of fastening elements when the fastener top casing is disposed on top of the fastener bottom casing; and wherein each of the plurality of fastening elements secures the interchangeable upper to the sole by passing through a corresponding hole in the shoe upper.
 2. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein each fastening element further comprises: a sleeve that is retained by the fastener top casing and fastener bottom casing; and a pin that is removably retained by the sleeve.
 3. The shoe sole of claim 2, wherein: the sleeve retained by the fastener top casing further comprises an aperture; and the pin further comprises an array of teeth, wherein the pin is retained by the sleeve by at least one tooth in the array of teeth engaging with the edge of the aperture.
 4. The shoe sole of claim 1, further comprising a cavity within the sole for retention of a toe loop.
 5. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fastening elements is disposed around the entire periphery of the sole.
 6. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fastening elements further comprises two pluralities of fastening elements, with each plurality of fastening elements located on opposing sides of the sole.
 7. The shoe sole of claim 1, wherein the fastener top casing further comprises a plurality of indentations and the fastener bottom casing further comprises a plurality of recesses each that form a plurality of interior spaces for receiving each of the plurality of fastening elements when the fastener top casing is disposed on top of the fastener bottom casing.
 8. A shoe sole capable of accepting an interchangeable upper, comprising a plurality of fasteners that are positioned around at least a portion of the perimeter of the sole, wherein: each of the plurality of fasteners is secured within the sole material, and the plurality of fasteners are capable of securing a shoe upper to the sole solely by passing each of at least two of said fasteners through a corresponding aperture in the shoe upper.
 9. The shoe sole of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners are hooks.
 10. The shoe sole of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners comprise a sleeve and a pin that is removably retained by the sleeve.
 11. The shoe sole of claim 10, wherein the sleeve further comprises an aperture, and the pin is retained by the sleeve by engaging with the edge of the aperture.
 12. The shoe sole of claim 8, further comprising a between the toe connector that is removably secured to the sole.
 13. A shoe sole capable of removably securing a corresponding shoe upper, comprising: a sole possessing a recessed foot bed and a perimeter border; a fastener casing sized so as to fit within the perimeter border; and a plurality of fasteners disposed around the perimeter of the sole and secured by the fastener casing, wherein: the corresponding shoe upper is removably secured to the shoe sole by passing one or more of the plurality of fasteners through corresponding holes in the shoe upper.
 14. The shoe sole of claim 13, wherein the fastener casing includes a plurality of cavities that each contain one of the plurality of fasteners.
 15. The shoe sole of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners further comprise a sleeve and a pin that is removably retained by the sleeve.
 16. The shoe sole of claim 15, wherein the pin of each of the plurality of fasteners is inserted into the sleeve through a corresponding opening in the perimeter border.
 17. The shoe sole of claim 15, wherein the sleeve further comprises an aperture; and the pin further comprises an array of teeth, wherein the pin is retained by the sleeve by at least one of the teeth in the array of teeth engaging with a portion of the edge of the aperture.
 18. The shoe sole of claim 17, further comprising a between the toe connector.
 19. The shoe sole of claim 18, wherein the between the toe connector further comprises two plates connected by a strap, so as to form a loop by securing the two plates within a corresponding cavity in the sole.
 20. The shoe sole of claim 19, wherein the plurality of fasteners each comprise a hook, a portion of each of which protrudes through the perimeter border. 